US6547141B1 - Inventory locating device - Google Patents

Abstract

An inventory locating device including an optical scanner for reading bar code labels containing product identifying information. A pair of measuring wheels, one positioned on each side of the scanner, is provided for running along a supporting surface as the optical scanner reads bar code labels on the surface. By means of an endless belt, rotational motion of the measuring wheels is transmitted to a shaft encoder permitting the distance traveled by the device to a given label to be calculated and tracked. Information gathered by the optical scanner and shaft encoder is relayed by a radio frequency transmitter to a remote receiver for storage and processing.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to registers and, more particularly, to optical scanners for reading bar codes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conducting inventories of thousands of items contained in large warehouse-type stores has always been a labor-intensive and costly task. The process typically involves: closing a store to prevent the movement of items to be inventoried, sending a group of employees out to locate and count the items and, finally, tabulated the results of the inventory in a fixed record. With accurate inventory data, store managers can create a virtual map of their stores, locating all items there.

As with many processes involving people, errors are frequently made in conducting inventories. Items, for example, are sometimes entirely overlooked when moved from their usual storage places for special events and sales. Of course, it is not entirely unheard of for “typos” to creep into inventory records. Thus, it has always been difficult to obtain accurate inventories of large stores more than once every few weeks, sometimes making it difficult to locate and map items being offered to the public for sale.

To avoid some of the problems inherent in conducting inventories, many retailers have taken to using hand-held, bar-code scanners to obtain identification data from labels positioned on items or positioned adjacent thereto. The data is obtained from the label with the push of a button and ultimately downloaded to a remote computer for processing. The known scanners lack features for determining where in the store the scanned item is encountered thereby making the generation of a virtual map of the contents of a store difficult to make.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In light of the problems associated with the known bar code scanners used for conducting storewide, item inventories, it is the principal object of the invention to provide an inventory locating device that will collect information from bar code labels and measure the distance of the labels away from a fixed reference point. Such a device permits the generation of a database describing the exact location of thousands of items in a retail, warehouse, or record archive environment.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an inventory locating device of the type described that is portable and easily carried by a user. The device is also easy to use, requiring minimal training and no special tools.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an inventory locating device for the purposes described which is lightweight in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and dependable in use.

Briefly, the inventory locating device in accordance with this invention achieves the intended objects by featuring an optical scanner for reading optically encoded information from an object. A decoder is coupled to the optical scanner for receiving and processing optically encoded information to generate a set of optical scanner transmission data. At least one measuring wheel of known circumference is positioned adjacent the optical scanner. The measuring wheel is capable of maintaining the optical scanner at a predetermined distance from the object as optically encoded information is being read. A shaft encoder is connected to the axle of the measuring wheel and generates a set of dimensional transmission data in response to rotational movement of the axle as the wheel is rolled along the object. A transmitter is coupled to the decoder and shaft encoder for receiving the set of optical scanner transmission data and the set of dimensional transmission data and for broadcasting the set of optical scanner transmission data and the set of dimensional transmission data via radio waves.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention may be more readily described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of an inventory locating device in accordance with the present invention with portions broken away to reveal details thereof.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the inventory locating device of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a left side view of the inventory locating device.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the inventory locating device and remote receiver apparatus.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the FIGS., an inventory locating device in accordance with the present invention is shown at10.Device10 includes abase plate12 carrying abar code reader14 for interpretinglabels16 provided withbar codes18. A pair ofmeasuring wheels20 is secured to the front ofplate12 for maintainingreader14 at a fixed distance fromlabels16 having been affixed to a supportingsurface22. Rotational motion of measuringwheels20 is transmitted to ashaft encoder24 permitting the distance traveled bydevice10 alongsurface22, which may be curved as shown in FIG. 3 or flat, to any oflabels16 to be measured. Information gathered byreader14 andshaft encoder24 is relayed by aradio frequency transmitter26atop plate12 to aremote receiver28 for storage and processing.

Bar code reader14 includes anoptical scanner30 anddecoder32 secured byposts34 tobase plate12. Preferably,scanner30 is mounted to the bottom ofplate30 so that light emitted thereby is directed away from the front ofplate30 and toward supportingsurface22 between measuringwheels20.Decoder32, however, is integrally formed withscanner30 and is operatively connected thereto by means of electrical leads (not shown).

Thebar code18 onlabel16 is a series of varying width, vertical bars and spaces representative of a number. Light fromscanner30 is directed ontobar code18 with the light being absorbed by the bars and reflected by the intervening spaces. A photocell inscanner30 receives the reflected light and converts such into electrical signals. In response, the photocell generates a low electrical signal for the spaces and a high electrical signal for the bars with the duration of the electrical signal reflecting the varying widths of the spaces and bars. These signals are “decoded” bydecoder32 into a number that is, then, delivered totransmitter26 in a binary format.

Measuringwheels20 are formed of foam rubber for a good grip uponsurface22. Preferably, wheel-supportingaxles36 are journaled in the front ofplate12.Axles36 carrywheels20 at their bottom ends beneathplate12 andsupport drive pulleys38 immediately abovewheels20. The rotation ofwheels20 as they travel oversurface22 causes a corresponding rotation of bothaxles36 andpulleys38.

Drive pulleys38 are coupled through anendless belt40 todigital shaft encoder24.Belt40 extends around each of thedrive pulleys38 and a drivenpulley42 on theinput shaft44 ofencoder24. A pair ofidler pulleys46 and48, securedatop plate12, maintains a suitable tension inbelt40.

Shaft encoder24 is preferably of quadrature-type and is readily available from a variety of sources. Such encoders are known for their durability, accuracy, and ability to measure distances regardless of the direction of rotation of their input shafts. (Thus, such encoders permitwheels20 to be rolled backward if alabel16 is inadvertently not scanned of if the user changes his direction of scanning.) In use, rotation of drivenpulley42 andshaft44 causesencoder24 to emit signals in binary format totransmitter26 representative of distance traveled bywheels20 from a set starting point.

Use ofdevice10 is straightforward. First, a user positions wheels20 againstsurface22 bearinglabels16 which may be the front edge of a shelf or bin in a store or warehouse. Then, at a steady pace, the user pushesdevice10 alongsurface22 permittingbar code reader14 to interpretbar codes18 onlabels16. The distance traveled bydevice10 to aparticular label16 is simultaneously determined byshaft encoder24 coupled, throughbelt40 towheels20. (As long as at least one ofwheels20 is in contact withsurface22,shaft encoder24 will provide accurate output.) Automatically, information obtained bybar code reader14 andshaft encoder24 is relayed totransmitter26 and broadcast toremote receiver28.

Akeypad50 may, optionally, be coupled by means of conventional cables and connectors (not shown) totransmitter26.Keypad50 permits a user to reset the distance measured byencoder24 to zero and to input data regarding, among other things, the quantity or condition of an item found adjacent alabel16. Such data would be broadcast viatransmitter26 in binary format toremote receiver28 for further use. Similarly, analarm52, in the form of an LED display or sound generator, could be attached todevice10 to indicate that alabel16 was improperly scanned.

Electrical power foroptical scanner30,decoder32,shaft encoder24,transmitter26 and any peripheral devices used withdevice10 will be supplied by a rechargeable,external battery pack54 that may be carried on the belt of a user. Of course,battery pack54 may be carried uponplate12 but such a positioning would add to the weight ofdevice10 and may induce unnecessary fatigue in a user.

A central processing unit (CPU)56 is connected toreceiver28 and uses received data to tabulate information obtained fromdevice10. Ultimately, the information could be used to generate a three-dimensional map of the inventoried space showing the location and count of each item within the space. This map, showing aisles, shelves and like landmarks, would be output fromCPU56 to acomputer monitor58 for display. Preferably, monitor58 is incorporated into a kiosk accessible to customers in a store attempting to find items located there.

The kiosk, then, emulates a salesperson by answering the most frequently asked questions by a customer in a retail store. By providing a readily available map of product locations, salespeople are freed to sell rather than serve merely as store guides. Because fewer people are now required to handle sales in a store, overhead costs are reduced. Customers and store owners ultimately benefit.

While the invention has been described with a high degree of particularity, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made thereto. For example, it would be possible to eliminatetransmitter26 andreceiver28 and connectdevice10 directly toCPU56 with suitable cabling although some convenience in usingdevice10 would be lost. Additionally,device10 could be mounted upon a cart to assist in data collection from a series of labels mounted at equal height on a long shelf or wall. Therefore, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (7)

We claim:

1. An inventory locating device, comprising:

an optical scanner for reading optically encoded information from an object;

a decoder, coupled to said optical scanner for receiving and processing the optically encoded information to generate a set of optical scanner transmission data;

at least one measuring wheel of known circumference having an axle positioned adjacent said optical scanner, said wheel being capable of maintaining said optical scanner at a predetermined distance from said object as optically encoded information is being read;

a shaft encoder connected to said axle for generating a set of dimensional transmission data in response to rotational movement of said axle as said wheel is rolled along said object; and,

a transmitter coupled to said decoder for receiving said set of optical scanner transmission data and coupled to said shaft encoder for receiving said set of dimensional transmission data and for broadcasting said set of optical scanner transmission data and said set of dimensional transmission data via radio waves.

2. The inventory locating device according toclaim 1 further comprising a keypad coupled to said transmitter for generating a set of ancillary transmission data for broadcasting via radio waves.

3. The inventory locating device according toclaim 1 further comprising a rechargeable battery pack for supplying electrical power to: said optical scanner, said decoder, said shaft encoder and said transmitter.

4. An inventory locating device, comprising:

an optical scanner for reading optically encoded information from an object;

a decoder coupled to said optical scanner for receiving and processing the optically encoded information to generate a set of optical scanner transmission data;

a pair of measuring wheels of known circumference having axles positioned on opposite sides of said optical scanner, said measuring wheels being capable of maintaining said optical scanner at a predetermined distance from said object as optically encoded information is being read;

a shaft encoder connected to said axles for generating a set of dimensional transmission data in response to rotational movement of said axles as said measuring wheels are rolled along said object; and,

a transmitter coupled to said decoder for receiving said set of optical scanner transmission data and coupled to said shaft encoder for receiving said set of dimensional transmission data and for broadcasting said set of optical scanner transmission data and said set of dimensional transmission data via radio waves.

5. The inventory locating device according toclaim 4 further comprising a keypad coupled to said transmitter for generating a set of ancillary transmission data for broadcasting via radio waves.

6. The inventory locating device according toclaim 4 further comprising a rechargeable battery pack for supplying electrical power to: said optical scanner, said decoder, said shaft encoder and said transmitter.

7. An inventory locating device, comprising:

an optical scanner for reading optically encoded information from an object;

a decoder coupled to said optical scanner for receiving and processing the optically encoded information to generate a set of optical scanner transmission data;

a pair of measuring wheels of known circumference having axles positioned on opposite sides of said optical scanner, said measuring wheels being capable of maintaining said optical scanner at a predetermined distance from said object as optically encoded information is being read;

a shaft encoder connected to said axles for generating a set of dimensional transmission data in response to rotational movement of said axles as said measuring wheels are rolled along said object;

an endless belt coupling said measuring wheels to said shaft encoder; and,

a transmitter coupled to said decoder for receiving said set of optical scanner transmission data and coupled to said shaft encoder for receiving said set of dimensional transmission data and for broadcasting said set of optical scanner transmission data and said set of dimensional transmission data via radio waves.

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